Coral Reef Facts

Coral reefs are rocky mounds and/or ridges formed in the sea by living things through the accumulation and
deposition of limestone (calcium carbonate).

These undersea palaces are home to more species of fishes, corals, and many other type of marine life than
any other ocean habitat.

Coral reefs also provide many valuable services to humans. Food, shoreline protection, and medicines are just
a few of these benefits. These are also the best places to visit if you want to experience marine life - up close
and personal.

What Coral Reef Facts Can I Learn Here?

Our "coral reef facts" website is organized around three main topics:

1. Coral Reef Structure

This section explores the formation and structure of coral reefs, answering such questions as:

 How are coral reefs formed?

 What are the different types of reefs?

2. Coral Reef Distribution

Here we explore the factors that determine the global distribution of coral reefs, and individually examine
each of the three great regions of coral reef development.
 Where are coral reefs are found?
 Caribbean Coral Reefs
 Red Sea Coral Reefs
 Indo-Pacific Coral Reefs

3. Marine Life
This section provides basic information about the composisiton of the coral reef biome; the main kinds of
living things that make up the coral reef community, including:
 Coral Reef Plants
  Coral Reef Fishes
 Other Coral Reef Animals
 The Coral Reef Food Web

Explore Coral Reefs With Us

Coral reefs are experiencing a rapid decline in ecosystem health in most locations in which they once
thrived. Much of this problem is the direct or indirectresult of human activities.

We all need to better understand the nature and importance of these vital marine resources if we are to act to
prevent further decline and assist in coral reef recovery efforts.

25 Interesting Facts About Coral Reefs

Here are the top 25 coral reef facts you should know.
Fact 1: Any reef that is called a “barrier” reef gets its name because its presence protects the shallow waters
along the shore from the open sea. That protection promotes the survival of many types of sea plant and
animal life.
Fact 2: A coral reef isn’t a “thing,” it’s actually a community of life that lives and thrives in one location. What
we think of as the base of the reef (and what we see when it is dry and removed from the water) is only one
small aspect of a living reef.
Fact 3: The hard shell you see when coral is removed from water is the hard shell of an animal called a polyp.
It is the cluster of polyps growing together that gives reefs their shape.
Fact 4: Reefs that are noticeable in size, like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, are between 5 and 10,000
years old.
Fact 5: The Great Barrier Reef is actually made up of 900 smaller reefs.
Fact 6: The Great Barrier Reef covers 2,600 miles. It also crosses over 500 islands and is one of the most
visited reefs in the world.
Fact 7: Reefs are very important to the fishing industry because they are the natural habitat of the bait fish
which is used to fish for tuna and other large species.
Fact 8: Reefs are where many fish and sea creatures choose to spawn. The protected environmentof the reef
means their eggs will be safe from predators.
Fact 9: The algae that typically covers and grows around a reef isn’t a plant, it’s a living creature. There are
many different kinds of algae, from the microscopic to ones with leaf like appendages several feet in length.
Fact 10: Benthic Diatoms are microscopically small and vastly abundant algae type lifeforms that live in the
reef ecosystem. They are a huge reason why a living coral reef has such a dense biomass.
Fact 11: Scientists have discovered that many parts of a coral reef can be harvested to make medications to
treat cancers and other illnesses.
Fact 12: The numerous types of seaweed, plankton and algae type growths that thrive on a coral reef provide
food for an amazing amount of fish – fish that are also safe to feed in the protected structure of the reef.

Fact 13: Coral reefs can also be started on the shells of sunken boats. In fact, to help preserve different sea
biomes, the navy will sink old ships to allow a coral reef to grow.
Fact 14: Wherever coral reefs grow, the sea bed is more stable. Reefs help seagrass and other sea plants survive
in the area. The more plants are growing on the sea bed, the less impact storms and surges will have on seabed
too. All of the plants that are protected by the coral reef prevent the bottom of the bed from being washed
out deeper, changing the depth and temperature of the water near the shore. The sea bed washing out can
also cause significant erosion of the shoreline.
Fact 15: Coral reefs also help to improve the surrounding water quality. They act as a kind of filter that traps
things floating in the water, which makes for cleaner water all around.
Fact 16: Did you know that because the coral reef can stabilize the seabed for seagrasses, it provides a space
for feeding and raising babies for many of the sea mammals? A seagrass meadow acts like a nursery for
manatee and dugongs, where they can feed and raise their calves in a protected environment.
Fact 17: Villages tend to appear wherever there is a coral reef because it can provide a major food source for
people without them having to venture out into unprotected waters, or too far inland.
Fact 18: There are three types of reefs, and one gets mistaken for an island. There are barrier reefs, fringing
reefs and atolls. The last is often called an island when it is really a reef.
Fact 19: A coral reef needs sunlight to grow, that is why they hardly ever grow in waters deeper than 45 feet.
They also are more likely to be found in tropical oceans, as the water is clearer and warmer.
Fact 20: Fringing reefs get their name from being closer to shore than a barrier reef. They are arranged like a
fringe around the shallow waters. Barrier reefs are further out to sea, and in deeper waters. Atolls are mistaken
for islands because they are island like and grow on the outer edges of lagoons.
Fact 21: Oddly enough, reefs usually grow up on the east shore of land masses. The temperature there is
thought to be warmer than the western side. The ideal temperature for a coral reef is between 68 and 82
degrees Fahrenheit.
Fact 22: Reefs also grow where there are stronger wave patterns and currents. The stronger currents and
waves deliver more food for the ecosystem that creates the reef structure.
Fact 23: Coral reefs also play an important role in helping to manage carbon monoxide levels. This makes
them of great benefit to the world’s population.
Fact 24: There are more types of fish living in a two acre area of coral reef than there are kinds of birds in all
of North America.
Fact 25: The shape of a coral reef forms a natural protective barrier against storm waves. The waves break
apart on the reef, so they don’t hit the shore at full force. Any reef that is called a “barrier” reef gets its name
because its presence protects the shallow waters along the shore from the open sea. That protection promotes
the survival of many types of sea plant and animal life.
The coral reef isn’t just something pretty to look it; it plays an important role in the survival of our planet. It
directly supports a marine ecosystem, but it also provides important benefits for mankind.
Image credit
Whale (Blue)

The Blue Whale is the largest creature ever to have lived on earth. Their tongues alone
can weigh as much as an elephant. Their hearts, as much as a car.

32

Facts about blue whales

 The Blue Whale is the largest creature ever to have lived on earth.
 Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant. Their hearts, as much as a
car.
 Amazingly, however, this giant of the ocean feeds on some of the smallest marine
life – tiny shrimplike animals called krill. A single adult blue whale can consume
3,6000kg of krill a day.
 They mainly catch their food by diving, and descend to depths of approximately
500m.
 The whale’s mouth has a fascinating row of plates fringed with bristles to help it
filter its’ main source of food – Plankton from the water. There is what looks like
a moustache of long bristles on the end of each plate to help it hold the minute
prey. With each mouthful, the whale can hold up to 5,000kg of water and
plankton. Having forced the water out of its mouth, the whale licks these bristles
with its fleshy tongue.
 Although the blue whale is a deep-water hunter, as a mammal, it must come to the
surface of the sea to breathe. When it surfaces, it exhales air out of a blowhole in
a cloud of pressurized vapour that rises vertically above the water for up to 9m.
 Blue whales occasionally swim in small groups but usually alone or in pairs. They
are thought to form close attachments.
  In spite of their bulk, these graceful swimmers cruise the ocean at over 8km/h,
and can reach speeds of over 30km/h.
 Though we can’t hear them, blue whales are one of the loudest animals on the
planet, communicating with each other using a series of low frequency pulses,
groans, and moans. It is thought that in good conditions blue whales can hear each
over distances of up to 1,600km.
 Scientists think they use these vocalizations not only to communicate, but, along
with their excellent hearing, to sonar-navigate the dark deep oceans.
 Females breed only once every three years and gestation is between 11-
12months. Females usually only have one young.
 A baby blue whale (calf) emerges weighing up to 2,7000kg and up to 8m long. New
born whales are helped to the surface of the water by their mothers and are often
encouraged (nudged) by other females so that they can take their first breath of
air.
 The calf is suckled in the water, drinking more than 600 litres of milk each day and
gaining about 90kg every day for its first year.
 Blue whales have few predators but are known to fall victim to attacks by sharks
and killer whales, and many are injured or die each year from impacts with large
ships.
 It is thought that whales feel emotions.
 Intensive hunting in the 1900s by whalers seeking whale oil drove them to the
brink of extinction. Hundreds of thousands of whales were killed. The 1966
International Whaling Commission finally gave them protection, although they
have only recovered slightly since then. Blue whales are currently classified as
endangered on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List. It is estimated
that only10,000-25,000 blue whales now swim the world's oceans

Olympics Fun Facts

 The early Olympic Games were celebrated as a religious festival from 776 B.C. until
393 A.D., when the games were banned for being a pagan festival (the Olympics
celebrated the Greek god Zeus). In 1894, a French educator Baron Pierre de
Coubertin, proposed a revival of the ancient tradition, and thus the modern-
day Olympic Summer Games were born.
 Host Greece won the most medals (47) at the first Olympic Summer Games in 1896.
 The first Winter Olympic Games were held in Chamonix, France in 1924.
 Norway has won the most medals (263) at the Winter Games.
 The United States has won more medals (2,189) at the Summer Games than any other
country.
  The five Olympic rings represent the five major regions of the world – Africa, the
Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceana, and every national flag in the world includes one
of the five colors, which are (from left to right) blue, yellow, black, green, and red.
 Up until 1994 the Olympics were held every four years. Since then, the Winter and
Summer games have alternated every two years.
 The first Olympics covered by U.S. television was the 1960 Summer Games in
Rome by CBS.
 No country in the Southern Hemisphere has ever hosted a Winter Games.
 Three continents – Africa, South America, and Antarctica – have never hosted an
Olympics.
 A record 202 countries participated in the 2004 Olympic Summer Games in Athens.
 Only four athletes have ever won medals at both the Winter and Summer Olympic
Games: Eddie Eagan (United States), Jacob Tullin Thams (Norway), Christa Luding-
Rothenburger (East Germany), and Clara Hughes (Canada).
 Speed skater Bonnie Blair has won six medals at the Olympic Winter Games. That's
more than any other American athlete.
 Nobody has won more medals at the Winter Games than cross-country skier Bjorn
Dählieof Norway, who has 12.
 Larrisa Latynina, a gymnast from the former Soviet Union, finished her Summer
Olympic Games career with 18 total medals—the most in history.
 The United States Olympic Committee established the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in
1983 to recognize outstanding American Olympic athletes, however, a plan to build
a hall has been suspended due to lack of funding.
 The Summer Olympic sports are archery, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball,
boxing, canoe / kayak, cycling, diving, equestrian, fencing, field hockey, gymnastics,
handball, judo, modern pentathlon (shooting, fencing, swimming, show jumping, and
running), mountain biking, rowing, sailing, shooting, soccer, swimming, synchronized
swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, track and field, triathlon (swimming,
biking, running), volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, and wrestling.
 The Winter Olympic sports are alpine skiing, biathlon (cross-country skiing and target
shooting), bobsled, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice
hocky, luge, Nordic combined (ski jumping and cross-country skiing), skeleton, ski
jumping, snowboarding, and speed skating.

Fun Crocodile Facts for Kids

Check out our range of fun crocodile facts for kids. Learn where they live, what makes them good
hunters, how much they can weigh and much more. Read on and enjoy a variety of interesting
information about crocodiles.

 Crocodiles are reptiles.

 The physical characteristics of crocodiles make them good predators.
 Crocodiles are fast over short distances.
 Crocodiles have sharp teeth.
 Crocodiles have the strongest bite of any animal in the world.
 The muscles that open crocodiles jaws however are not so powerful, reasonably strong people could hold a
crocodiles jaw closed with their bare hands.
 Like other reptiles, crocodiles are cold-blooded.
 Crocodiles can survive for a long time without food.
 Most crocodiles live in fresh water rivers and lakes but some live in salt water.
 Crocodiles eat a variety of fish, birds and other animals.
 Crocodiles release heat through their mouths rather than through sweat glands.
 The saltwater crocodile is the largest species of crocodile.
 Some crocodile species can weigh over 1200 kg (2600 lb).
 Like alligators, crocodiles are part of the order ‘Crocodylia’.
 Check out some interesting crocodile and alligator differences.

Australia - Culture, Customs and Etiquette

Welcome to our guide to Australia. This is useful

for anyone researching Australian culture, customs, manners, etiquette, values and
wanting to understand the people better. You may be going to Australia on
business, for a visit or even hosting Australian colleagues or clients in your own
country. Remember this is only a very basic level introduction and is not meant to
stereotype all Aussie people you may meet!

Facts and Statistics

Location: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean

Capital: Canberra
Climate: Generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north

Population: 19,913,144 (July 2004 est.)

Ethnic Make-up: Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-
Christian 11%, other 12.6%

Government: democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as

sovereign

Languages in Australia

English is the primary language used in Australia. Yet their colourful vocabulary,
accent, phonetics system and slang ('Strine') can take a lot of getting used to. In
1788, there were about 250 separate Aboriginal languages spoken in Australia, plus
dialects. Today, only two thirds of these languages survive and only 20 of them
(eight per cent of the original 250) are still strong enough to have chance of
surviving well into the next century. In addition to these there are also the languages
of immigrants from Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Australian Society & Culture

 Aussie Modesty

 Australians are very down to earth and always mindful of not giving the impression
that they think they are better than anyone else.
 They value authenticity, sincerity, and loathe pretentiousness.
 Australians prefer people who are modest, humble, self- deprecating and with a
sense of humour.
 They do not draw attention to their academic or other achievements and tend to
distrust people who do.
 They often downplay their own success, which may make them appear not to be
achievement-oriented.

Mates

 Australians place a high value on relationships.

 With a relatively small population, it is important to get along with everyone, since
you never know when your paths may cross again.
 This leads to a win-win negotiating style, since having everyone come away with
positive feelings helps facilitate future business dealings.

A Multi-Cultural Society

 The initial population of Australia was made up of Aborigines and people of British
and Irish descent.
 After World War II there was heavy migration from Europe, especially from
Greece, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Lebanon, and Turkey.
 This was in response to the Australian policy of proactively trying to attract
immigrants to boost the population and work force.
 In the last thirty years, Australia has liberalised its immigration policy and opened
its borders to South East Asia.
 This has caused a real shift in self-perception as Aussies begin to re-define
themselves as a multi-cultural and multi-faith society rather then the old
homogenous, white, Anglo- Saxon, Protestant nation.

Australian Etiquette & Customs

Meeting Etiquette

 Australians are not very formal so greetings are casual and relaxed.
 A handshake and smile suffices.
 While an Australian may say, 'G'day' or 'G'day, mate', this may sound patronizing
from a foreigner.
 Visitors should simply say, 'Hello' or 'Hello, how are you?'
 Aussies prefer to use first names, even at the initial meeting

Gift Giving Etiquette

 Small gifts are commonly exchanged with family members, close friends, and
neighbours on birthdays and Christmas.
 Trades people such as sanitation workers may be given a small amount of cash, or
more likely, a bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer!
 If invited to someone's home for dinner, it is polite to bring a box of chocolates or
flowers to the hostess. A good quality bottle of wine is always appreciated.
 Gifts are opened when received.

Dining Etiquette

 Many invitations to an Aussies home will be for a 'barbie' (BBQ).

 Guests to a barbeque typically bring wine or beer for their personal consumption.
In some cases, very informal barbecues may suggest that you bring your own meat!
 Arrive on time if invited to dinner; no more than 15 minutes late if invited to a
barbeque or a large party.
 Contact the hostess ahead of time to see if she would like you to bring a dish.
 Offer to help the hostess with the preparation or clearing up after a meal is served.
 Watch your table manners!

 Table manners are Continental -- hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the
right while eating.
 Indicate you have finished eating by laying your knife and fork parallel on your
plate with the handles facing to the right.
 Keep your elbows off the table and your hands above the table when eating.

Business Etiquette and Customs in Australia

Relationships & Communication

 Australians are very matter of fact when it comes to business so do not need long-
standing personal relationships before they do business with people.
 Australians are very direct in the way they communicate.
 There is often an element of humour, often self-deprecating, in their speech.
 Aussies often use colourful language that would be unthinkable in other countries.

Business Meeting Etiquette

 Appointments are necessary and relatively easy to schedule.
 They should be made with as much lead time as possible.
 Punctuality is important in business situations. It is better to arrive a few minutes
early than to keep someone waiting.
 Meetings are generally relaxed; however, they are serious events.
 If an Australian takes exception to something that you say, they will tell you so.
 If you make a presentation, avoid hype, making exaggerated claims, or bells and
whistles.
 Present your business case with facts and figures. Emotions and feelings are not
important in the Australian business climate.

Negotiating and Decision Making

 Australians get down to business quickly with a minimum amount of small talk.
 They are quite direct and expect the same in return. They appreciate brevity and
are not impressed by too much detail.
 Negotiations proceed quickly. Bargaining is not customary. They will expect your
initial proposal to have only a small margin for negotiation.
 They do not like high-pressure techniques.
 Decision-making is concentrated at the top of the company, although decisions are
made after consultation with subordinates, which can make decision making slow
and protracted.

What to wear?

 Business dress is conservative in Melbourne and Sydney.

 Men should wear a dark coloured, conservative business suit.
 Women should wear a smart dress or a business suit.
 In Brisbane or other tropical areas, depending on the job function and company
culture, men may wear shirts, ties and Bermuda shorts.

Business Cards

 Business cards are exchanged at the initial introduction without formal ritual.
 If you are not given a business card, it is not an insult; the person simply may not
have one

Cheetah Facts for Kids

Cheetah Speed
The cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal. They can run 70 mph (or 110 kph), which
is as fast as cars drive on the highway. The cheetah can reach its top speed in just 3
seconds!

Tail like a rudder

The cheetah has a long, muscular tail that has a flat shape. The tail almost functions like
a rudder on a boat because they use it to help control their steering and keep their
balance when running very fast.

Special cleat feet

The cheetah has “semi non-retractable” claws (almost like dog claws) that work like the
cleats on a football shoe to give the cheetah a lot of traction when running. The pads of
most cats’ paws are soft, but the cheetah’s pads are hard kind of like the rub ber on a
tire. This also helps them grip the ground when they are running so fast.

Like football players

Cheetahs have “tear marks” that run from the inside corners of their eyes down to the
outside edges of their mouth. These marks help reflect the glare of the sun when they
are hunting during the day. They work just like the black marks that football players put
under their eyes during the games. These marks also work like the sights on a rifle, to
help the cheetah “aim” and stay focused on their prey when they are hunting.

Spotted Skin
The cheetah’s fur is covered in solid black spots, and so is their skin! The black fur
actually grows out of the black spots on their skin.

Almost like flying

When cheetahs are running full speed, their stride (length between steps) is 6-7 meters
(21 feet). Their feet only touch the ground twice during each stride.
A cheetah’s favorite food
Cheetahs are carnivores, and feed mostly on smaller antelope like springbok, steenbok,
Thomson’s gazelle, and duiker. They usually chase down their prey and then bite its
throat, killing it by cutting off its air supply (suffocation).

Not just a funny haircut

Cheetah cubs have long tall hair that runs from their neck all the way down to the base
of their tail, which is called the mantle. The mantle makes a cheetah cub look like a
honey badger and makes them blend into tall grass, which helps keep them safe from
threats like lions and hyenas.

A lot of kids
A mother cheetah usually cares for anywhere from 2 to 8 cubs per litter, but cubs are
often the target of other predators and many do not survive past the first year.

Most endangered cat

There are less than 10,000 cheetahs left in the wild, making the cheetah Africa’s most
endangered big cat.